So, I got my horse! ^_^ It's the Draft cross mare Bliss I posted about earlier. After getting a better look, and getting opinions from other horse people, I've decided that she probably has some Arab in her.
Here's a picture of her! This was my second ride on her, before I bought her.
I don't remember why I was looking at her butt. :/
Anyways! She was delivered to my boarding stable on Sunday. She seemed really nervous the first day--wouldn't even graze--but when I went to see her Monday morning, she was eating happily in her field with her two pasturemates. She seemed to calm down further after I rode her for the first time (I only walked around for a couple minutes... it was getting dark and really I just wanted to make sure my tack fit her).
Well, today I had the day off work, so I had plenty of time to spend with her. I was quite pleased with her because she let me catch her in the field right away! The day before, it took me 20 minutes in the morning and then 5 minutes at night. So I got on her today, and she just seemed really nervous and excitable. She kept trying to break into a trot when all I wanted to do was walk her around. And when I halted her, she got frustrated and started pawing the ground. I thought I would canter her in the big field to expel some energy, but decided against it as controlling her at the trot seemed to be a challenge.
With my last horse, his spookiness seemed to be my biggest downfall, as I'm not that confident of a rider. Bliss is showing a bit of spookiness, but so far I have been able to fake the role of "confident leader." ;P Whenever she spooked at something, I turned her to face it, let her sniff it, and walked by it several more times until she had no more reaction. I don't want it to escalate though, so is there anything in particular I can do to get her to calm?
Basically, she's just acting high strung and nervous, so is this normal for horses when they are in a new place? She wasn't like this when I test rode her at her previous owners' farm. What can I do to help her along? Should I keep riding her when she's like this?
Here's a picture of her! This was my second ride on her, before I bought her.
I don't remember why I was looking at her butt. :/
Anyways! She was delivered to my boarding stable on Sunday. She seemed really nervous the first day--wouldn't even graze--but when I went to see her Monday morning, she was eating happily in her field with her two pasturemates. She seemed to calm down further after I rode her for the first time (I only walked around for a couple minutes... it was getting dark and really I just wanted to make sure my tack fit her).
Well, today I had the day off work, so I had plenty of time to spend with her. I was quite pleased with her because she let me catch her in the field right away! The day before, it took me 20 minutes in the morning and then 5 minutes at night. So I got on her today, and she just seemed really nervous and excitable. She kept trying to break into a trot when all I wanted to do was walk her around. And when I halted her, she got frustrated and started pawing the ground. I thought I would canter her in the big field to expel some energy, but decided against it as controlling her at the trot seemed to be a challenge.
With my last horse, his spookiness seemed to be my biggest downfall, as I'm not that confident of a rider. Bliss is showing a bit of spookiness, but so far I have been able to fake the role of "confident leader." ;P Whenever she spooked at something, I turned her to face it, let her sniff it, and walked by it several more times until she had no more reaction. I don't want it to escalate though, so is there anything in particular I can do to get her to calm?
Basically, she's just acting high strung and nervous, so is this normal for horses when they are in a new place? She wasn't like this when I test rode her at her previous owners' farm. What can I do to help her along? Should I keep riding her when she's like this?